Some notes from the author: The color of the
pieces only matters when entering a piece, or making safe pieces. Other than
these the pieces can be viewed as common, and can be moved by either player. For
beginners it is easier to play white than black. This does not reflect an
intrinsic bias to white within the game, but rather the number of pieces black
has to deal with compared to white. After 3 or 4 games a beginner should become
reasonably proficient as black and start to be able to play black to the same
level as white. Stalemates may appear to be more frequent than they are when
learning to play the game, but black can usually move to release more pieces, or
change a vital stack causing the apparent stalemate. In these circumstances,
black will usually win shortly afterwards. So players should bare in mind that
stalemates are actually very rare.
Remember: Any combination of pieces can make
up a stack, and if black makes a stack of six then white still wins. If white immobilizes
black then white wins. A player can never enter a piece directly onto the top of
a stack or onto the central circle. They may only enter pieces onto an EMPTY
circle which is not the central one. The central circle can only be moved into.
Tactics for White: Try to keep the white
pieces mobile, and as high up a stack as possible. Try to build a high stack
capped with white safe pieces, on the central circle. Try to build and make good
use of zebra (alternating colors) stacks, as all the white pieces can still be
thought of as mobile. White has an advantage early on in the game, so try to
gain a good position for the later part of the game.
Tactics for Black: Try to bring on the black pieces as soon as
possible, as the more pieces that black has in play the better. Try to avoid the
central circle, as white can use pieces there to its advantage, but make sure
that white doesn't gain advantage of the center. Try to avoid stacks of five,
unless part of a your strategy. Try to make all the black pieces safe. Try to
build wells - high stacks surrounding an empty or low stack, from which a piece
once inside cannot get out. Bare in mind that a piece just moved by a player
cannot be moved by the opponent until the next turn, as good use can be made of
this in the later part of the game. Take note that if white only has a single
piece left which they can move, then black will never be able to move that
piece, and should think about releasing additional pieces for white to use, as
this will usually make it more difficult for white to win.
